The deal comes on the heels of KBS Strategic Opportunity REIT's purchase of 1800 West Loop South, a 400,101-square-foot building near the Galleria.

With the recent purchases, KBS Realty Advisors affiliates now own six properties in the Houston market. This year, they've sold buildings at 3355 West Alabama, 2200 West Loop South, and The Offices at Kensington.

The mix is quite different from 10 years ago when its Houston portfolio consisted of about 40 properties, with mostly small office buildings in suburban areas.

"Our focus in more recent years has been to acquire larger, Class A or A+ assets in only the best performing and primary submarkets," said Rodney Richerson, central regional president for KBS Realty Advisors and its affiliate KBS Capital Advisors. "Accordingly, as we've sold off many of the smaller buildings over the years our asset count has declined while the quality of the assets that we still own and continue to try to acquire has increased dramatically."

"As anyone involved with real estate in Houston knows, competition for Class A, well-located deals in this market is tremendous right now and likely will continue to be the case in 2013 with the strong local economy in a national environment that is still quite sluggish," Richerson said. "We will continue to pursue opportunities and are hopeful for 2013."